PHILADELPHIA (Interstat) — Cale Hellums rushed for three touchdowns and Army defeated Temple 21-17 in an NCAA Football Bowl Division game Friday at Lincoln Financial Field. The Black Knights improved to 2-1, while the Owls dropped to 1-3. Hellums, a 5-foot-10, 203-pound quarterback from Tomball, Texas, carried 22 times for 104 yards and completed 3 of 6 passes for 36 yards. His scoring runs covered 15, 12 and 3 yards. The final one came with 1:41 remaining in the fourth quarter and lifted Army to the win. Temple had taken a 17-14 lead earlier in the fourth quarter on Carl Hardin’s 29-yard field goal. Ajani Sheppard led Temple. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound quarterback from Bronx, New York, completed 11 of 20 passes for 242 yards, ran 10 times for 48 yards and accounted for two touchdowns. Sheppard threw scoring passes to Samuel Brown V and Colin Chase, keeping the Owls close throughout.

Army scored first when Hellums broke right for a 15-yard touchdown with 3:06 left in the opening quarter. Dawson Jones made the extra point. Temple answered with 2:17 remaining in the first quarter when Sheppard found Brown for a 78-yard touchdown. Hardin’s kick tied the game. In the second quarter, Hardin attempted a 42-yard field goal, but the kick was no good. The teams remained tied into the third quarter. Hellums put Army back in front with a 12-yard touchdown run with 4:59 left in the third. A holding penalty on Temple was declined, and Jones added the extra point. Temple responded quickly. With 3:43 remaining in the third, Sheppard connected with Chase for a 67-yard touchdown, and Hardin tied the game again. In the fourth quarter, Hardin made a 29-yard field goal with 7:38 left to give Temple a three-point lead. Army then put together the decisive drive, capped by Hellums’ 3-yard touchdown run with 1:41 remaining. Jones converted the extra point, and the Black Knights defense held from there.

Army’s running game supported Hellums. Samari Howard rushed eight times for 69 yards. Carson Smith added 12 carries for 63 yards. Jake Rendina ran four times for 20 yards. Brady Anderson gained 19 yards on two carries and caught one pass for 8 yards. Godspower Nwawuihe ran six times for 17 yards and had one reception for 20 yards. Zach Mundell caught one pass for 8 yards. Defensively, Stephen Nnadozie led Army with nine tackles. Elijah Walton and Julian Porter each made five tackles. Jaydan Mayes recorded five tackles and returned one kickoff 14 yards. Dillon Stowers had four tackles and one sack. Zane Tallman and Jaquavious Moss each finished with four tackles. Noah Nixon and Caleb Williams added three tackles apiece.

Temple’s defense was led by Eric Stuart, who made nine tackles. Curly Ordonez had eight tackles. Jaeden Gould recorded six tackles. Saboor Karriem added five tackles. Denzel Chavis and Avery Powell each made four tackles. Asa Locks, Orel Gray, Lamar Fairfax, Jayvant Brown and Russell Sykes IV each had three tackles. Jaylon Joseph and Jamarcus Pierre each finished with two tackles. Josh Nengite, Daron Harris, Kolin Dinkins, Josiah Jackson, Davier Bishop, Kevin Hornbeak Jr., Tyree Alualu, Cameron Jones, Adrian Laing, Joseph Auzenne and Zyil Powell each recorded one tackle.

Temple’s offense found success through the air. Colin Chase had one run for 16 yards, two receptions for 76 yards and one touchdown. Samuel Brown V, a Philadelphia native, ran 10 times for 96 yards and caught one pass for 78 yards and a touchdown. Jayce Freeman caught three passes for 40 yards. Ryder Kusch had one reception for 22 yards. JoJo Bermudez caught two passes for 7 yards. Demonte Greene returned three kickoffs for 45 yards. Dante Atton punted twice for 85 yards. Hardin made his 29-yard field goal and missed from 42 yards. Sheppard’s 242 passing yards and two touchdowns paced the Owls, while his 48 rushing yards helped extend drives. Army’s defense limited Temple enough in the final minutes, and Hellums’ third rushing score stood as the difference.

The win gave Army a 2-1 record. The Black Knights opened the season with a 59-3 home win over Bryant before falling to South Florida 28-24 at home. Temple moved to 1-3. The Owls began with a 38-14 home win over Rhode Island, then lost at home to Penn State 27-9 and fell at Toledo 49-48. Army will next visit Louisiana Tech on Oct. 3. Tulane is scheduled to visit Army on Oct. 10, and Florida Atlantic will visit Army on Oct. 17. Temple will visit South Florida on Oct. 3. Connecticut is set to visit Temple on Oct. 10, and Charlotte will visit Temple on Oct. 17.

Army’s offense finished with a balanced rushing attack behind Hellums. The Black Knights controlled stretches with Howard, Smith and Rendina. Howard averaged 8.6 yards per carry. Smith averaged 5.3 yards per carry. Rendina provided short-yardage power. Anderson and Nwawuihe added versatility. Mundell contributed as a receiver. Nnadozie anchored the defense with nine tackles. Walton and Porter helped contain the perimeter. Mayes contributed on special teams and defense. Stowers’ sack was one of Army’s key defensive plays. Tallman and Moss helped limit Temple’s rushing attack. Nixon and Williams added depth. Army’s defense made the final stop after Hellums scored.

Temple had chances. Sheppard completed passes to multiple receivers. Brown’s 78-yard catch-and-run was the Owls’ longest play. Chase’s 67-yard touchdown reception was another explosive play. Freeman, Kusch and Bermudez contributed in the passing game. Brown also ran effectively, finishing with 96 yards on 10 carries. Greene’s kickoff returns gave Temple field position. Atton’s punting helped flip the field. Hardin’s 29-yard field goal gave Temple a fourth-quarter lead. The Owls’ defense forced Army to work for its yards. Stuart and Ordonez combined for 17 tackles. Gould, Karriem, Chavis, Powell, Locks, Gray, Fairfax, Brown and Sykes all contributed tackles. Joseph and Pierre added two stops each. The group kept Temple within reach until the final minutes.

The game was played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Army was the visiting team. Temple was the home team. The Black Knights scored 21 points, and the Owls scored 17. Army scored touchdowns in the first, third and fourth quarters. Temple scored touchdowns in the first and third quarters and added a fourth-quarter field goal. The teams traded scores for much of the night. Hellums accounted for all three Army touchdowns. Jones made all three extra points for Army. Hardin made one field goal and two extra points for Temple. The Owls’ final possession ended without a score. Army ran out the remaining time after taking the lead. The victory was Army’s second of the season. The loss was Temple’s third.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Temple 29, Army 27. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Army with a 75.7 percent probability to win. Temple had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 3. The over/under line was 47.5, and the total score was 38.